Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks
Jim Finkle, Reuters
First posted: Sunday, April 27, 2014 07:20 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, April 27, 2014 07:34 PM EDT
BOSTON - Microsoft Corp is rushing to fix a bug in its widely used Internet Explorer web browser after a computer security firm disclosed the flaw over the weekend, saying hackers have already exploited it in attacks on some U.S. companies.
PCs running Windows XP will not receive any updates fixing that bug when they are released, however, because Microsoft stopped supporting the 13-year-old operating system earlier this month. Security firms estimate that between 15 and 25 percent of the world's PCs still run Windows XP
Microsoft disclosed on Saturday its plans to fix the bug in an advisory to its customers posted on its security website, which it said is present in Internet Explorer versions 6 to 11. Those versions dominate desktop browsing, accounting for 55 percent of the PC browser market, according to tech research firm NetMarketShare.
Cybersecurity software maker FireEye Inc said that a sophisticated group of hackers have been exploiting the bug in a campaign dubbed "Operation Clandestine Fox."
FireEye, whose Mandiant division helps companies respond to cyber attacks, declined to name specific victims or identify the group of hackers, saying that an investigation into the matter is still active.
"It's a campaign of targeted attacks seemingly against U.S.-based firms, currently tied to defense and financial sectors," FireEye spokesman Vitor De Souza said via email. "It's unclear what the motives of this attack group are, at this point. It appears to be broad-spectrum intel gathering."
He declined to elaborate, though he said one way to protect against them would be to switch to another browser.
Microsoft said in the advisory that the vulnerability could allow a hacker to take complete control of an affected system, then do things such as viewing changing, or deleting data, installing malicious programs, or creating accounts that would give hackers full user rights.
FireEye and Microsoft have not provided much information about the security flaw or the approach that hackers could use to figure out how to exploit it, said Aviv Raff, chief technology officer of cybersecurity firm Seculert.
Yet other groups of hackers are now racing to learn more about it so they can launch similar attacks before Microsoft prepares a security update, Raff said.
"Microsoft should move fast," he said. "This will snowball."
Still, he cautioned that Windows XP users will not benefit from that update since Microsoft has just halted support for that product.
The software maker said in a statement to Reuters that it advises Windows XP users to upgrade to one of two most recently versions of its operating system, Windows 7 or 8.Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks | News | Tech | Toronto(external - login to view)

tay

#2

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 28th, 2014

New Vulnerability Found in Every Single Version of Internet Explorer

According to a confirmation by Microsoft late last night, a new zero day vulnerability has been found to affect every version of Internet Explorer. In other words—over a quarter of the entire browser market.

Attacks taking advantage of the vulnerability are largely targeting IE versions 9, 10, and 11 in something called a "use after free" attack. Essentially, the attack corrupts data as soon as memory has been released, most likely after users have been lured to phony websites. Microsoft explains:

More interweb insecurity good news....

New Vulnerability Found in Every Single Version of Internet Explorer(external - login to view)

Some people have wa-aa-ay too much time on their hands - and need a reverse charge

shadowshiv

+1

#4 Top Rated Post

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 28th, 2014

So basically Microsoft is saying **** you to the people that are still using Windows XP. I can see not contiually making new updates for XP (although I wish they would), but to not fix something that is security-related that is present in something that THEY created is bull****.

Lone wolf, I merged your thread with Spammy's.

SLM

+1

#5

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 28th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshiv

So basically Microsoft is saying **** you to the people that are still using Windows XP. I can see not contiually making new updates for XP (although I wish they would), but to not fix something that is security-related that is present in something that THEY created is bull****.

You're just cranky cuz you're still using XP.

shadowshiv

+1

#6

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 28th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

You're just cranky cuz you're still using XP.

Yes, I am. That still doesn't change the fact that 1/4 of all PCs with Windows installed are still using XP. Perhaps that should clue Microsh!t as to how popular an OS it still is.

SLM

+1

#7

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 28th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshiv

Yes, I am. That still doesn't change the fact that 1/4 of all PCs with Windows installed are still using XP. Perhaps that should clue Microsh!t as to how popular an OS it still is.

Honey you can fight City Hall, sometimes you may even win. But you cannot fight Microsoft. It simply can't be done.

Sorry.

shadowshiv

#8

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 28th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

Honey you can fight City Hall, sometimes you may even win. But you cannot fight Microsoft. It simply can't be done.

Sorry.

I'll fight 'em until I can at least get a new computer.

SLM

+1

#9

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 28th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshiv

I'll fight 'em until I can at least get a new computer.

Battle away.

But you need a new computer!

shadowshiv

#10

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

Battle away.

But you need a new computer!

Donate to the Shadowshiv's New Computer fund.

spaminator

+1

#11

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

xp now stands for expired.

Nuggler

#12

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

The news was out several months ago that XP was not going to be supported beyond April , 2014.
Was that not time enough to switch to Windows 7 or 8.1, which are supported.?
Can't fix stupid.

Back to Mozilla till they get I.E. fixed ?
should I
or not
or should
dither dither

So far IE seems to be working ok, cept for the occasional freeze which lasts a few seconds. Maybe the repair gremlins are at work, or some far Eastern country is making off with my data. Long as they take my bank overdraft with them, no problem.

Hell, I'm just a "reader", don't play games or do banking online much.

Carry on Willy Gates. Fix us up.

Retired_Can_Soldier

#13

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

Looks like some might be forced to use the flip flopping anti-gay marriage endorsing Mozilla Firefox.

I hate IE.

IdRatherBeSkiing

#14

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshiv

So basically Microsoft is saying **** you to the people that are still using Windows XP. I can see not contiually making new updates for XP (although I wish they would), but to not fix something that is security-related that is present in something that THEY created is bull****.

Lone wolf, I merged your thread with Spammy's.

What they are saying is "Please use Chrome". If you still use IE you are stupid.

(typed from a work computer, running XP, using IE8 since they don't allow us to install real browsers on our work PCs).

Praxius

#15

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

Microsoft announced not just a few months ago about their discontinuing of XP, but actually announced it two years ago. The problem is too many people either didn't pay attention, didn't care, thought they had plenty of time or Microsoft would change their mind for some reason.

Now people are all butthurt that they still use a dated 12 year old operating system they expect to be freely supported and upgraded to meet todays technology without paying for it again.

..... As if nobody told them this was going to happen and it just got thrown on them without a single warning ahead of time.

The old system we replaced at work that ran XP even had a pop up on the desktop from Microsoft warning you before the end date this was going to happen.

But no, some people think it was a big screw over that Microsoft wants to step away from this dated OS like they did with Windows 2000, NT, 98, 95, 3.11, etc.

Where's all the people crying over Windows 3.11?? I miss the old Filer Manager.

How come nobody uses those older OS's??

Maybe because they're old... And XP is too.

They have already released Vista, 7 and now 8 / 8.1

XP is way back there now and it's time people move on.

XP wasn't that great anyways. I've used XP Home, Professional, Enterprise, Media Centre Edition, etc.... Yes they were good OS's but only because they had to surpass Windows 2000, NT, 98/98se and 95.

The only reason why people became so Die Hard over XP was because of the bungle of Vista with annoying security features and resource hogging..... I liked the OS personally and never had too many issues, but others are fickle.

Then Windows 7 came out and did everything right that Vista didn't..... XP was now obsolete, but some people got stuck in their ways and figured nothing was going to beat XP, even though it already happened.

Then Windows 8 came out. I picked it up when it first came out and paid peanuts for it. Took a couple of days to figure it all out but it was an improvement even more.

The desktop is still there, all the features from Vista/7 were there, they even brought back some XP features that vanished in Vista/7.... The only difference now was that the Start Button turned into a Start Screen, the OS could work perfectly fine with mobile-style apps which are all the rage these days, better touch screen features and uses about as much resources as XP did and wasn't as bloated as Vista or 7.

Yet people still had to complain..... Wha, I don't have a Start Button anymore, Wha, there's an App Store, Wha, I'm to fk'n ignorant and lazy to click the button for the "Desktop" to get to the Desktop and see everything I always liked was still there.

Wha... Even though the OS gave me an introduction at the start to explain how the new things work and how to navigate and was so straight forward and simple a toddler could figure it out, it's different, it needs to be simplified more and look more like what I'm used to because I don't know how to adapt to change.

Something is different so it must automatically suck.

I have yet to regret my purchase of 8, which is now 8.1 because dumbasses wanted a little windows icon on the taskbar to help them figure out where to click to get to the start screen.

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Now would be a good time to finally kill Vista. A blight on Microsoft's docieay almost as big as Windows 8.

I wonder if Microsoft introduced this bug on purpose in order to push XP people to buy a new OS? It will push people to use better browsers for sure.

#juan

#17

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

I haven't used Internet Explorer for years. A few years ago I bought Windows XP outright for $250.00. At the time, if you were running
a legal version of Win 95 or 98, you could buy XP as an update for fifty or sixty dollars. Now Microsoft wants $150.00 for a Windows 8 update and Linux is still free........as is Firefox....
.

lone wolf

#18

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

Not everyone can afford to run out and buy a new system every time Microsoft needs another cash infusion

#juan

+1

#19

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

Apr 29th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by lone wolf

Not everyone can afford to run out and buy a new system every time Microsoft needs another cash infusion

I think XP was the best OS that Microsoft ever produced......it wasn't perfect but it was closer than anything else they turned out.

About ten years ago or so our son dragged us into computers with a dusty old version of Windows 3.1.......From there I ran across a
"free" version of windows 95 followed by win98 and so on to XP. ......... I like XP.............. I don't want to give it up

shadowshiv

#20

Re: Microsoft rushes to fix Internet Explorer after attacks

May 8th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by #juan

I think XP was the best OS that Microsoft ever produced......it wasn't perfect but it was closer than anything else they turned out.

About ten years ago or so our son dragged us into computers with a dusty old version of Windows 3.1.......From there I ran across a
"free" version of windows 95 followed by win98 and so on to XP. ......... I like XP.............. I don't want to give it up

I have an older computer which cannot use the latest OS (it is Vista "capable", but it would require too much upgrading to even use, and Vista isn't even sold anymore which makes it moot). So, until I can afford a new computer, I will have to use XP. I like XP, but I hope when I get my new computer I will like Windows 8.1 (which is apparently a lot better than Windows . Why they thought PC users would embrace touch screen as the only option (no Start menu when 8 first came out) is beyond me.